Wednesday, October 07, 2009

The Insanity

Speechless. I'll let David John Wellman do all the talking, other than to say I concur with his conclusion. We're in a fucking asylum.

21 comments:

PhillyChief said...

Well I'd say delusional and willfully ignorant, not necessarily stupid, although that's certainly a possibility.

That's such a sad waste of talent, btw.

Spanish Inquisitor said...

It's all part of the fantasy they call religion. It makes them feel good to think Jesus had something to do with this country.

Hey, Jesus is great! America is great! Must be related. Very simplistic, but don't give them complex thoughts, they might short circuit their brains.

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metamorphhh said...

Nicely revealing analysis. The Darwin/Satan connection particularly tickled me. Scary thing is how many people actually see existence in these terms. The world is a pecan tree.

PhillyChief said...

If only it were a pecan pie. Mmmmm

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PhillyChief said...

Admit it, you can't stop thinking of having my tomahawk in your mouth can you? That's why you keep stalking me. Not only are you some twisted sodomite, but you dream of fatties too, which is why you keep wishing I'm fat. You're quite the weirdo, aren't you? What kind of strange do you troll for while on those truck driving tours anyway? One little, two little, three little fat Indian boys? There were quite a few Law & Order episodes about perps like you.

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Cephus said...

Especially the parts about the founding fathers betrays the clear and present stupidity and willful ignorance of the painter, but it's common among most fundamentalist Christians. Most of the founding fathers would have been entirely unsympathetic to their beliefs. Washington used to sneak out of church services and would send a coach back for Martha later. Mary Lincoln Todd was quite clear that her husband was never a believing Christian. In fact, if you go back through religious writings, there are some which state that the United States never had a Christian president prior to the 20th century. Yet, they're all too willing to retroactively "invent" them because most people don't know better.

In other words, they're "lying for the Lord". Can any of us say we're surprised?

Anonymous said...

Philly

"That's such a sad waste of talent,"

Ah, yes... "I'm an atheist, so whoever paints religious paintings wastes their talent." Nope. You're not the fundie-type, at all!

Evo,

"accurate depiction of how conservatives see the world."

Blanket statements always raise red flags, for me. I see straw beginning to pile, and not even a minute in.

"by the way, the artist's website misspells Paine with a 'y' not an 'i'..."

Oh, now there's a criticism worth advancing. Come on Wellman, quit bein' such schtick.

I do agree with Wellman that the Constitution has no place in Jesus' hands. He was not a respecter of nations, but of righteousness, and I believe America will receive the harshest judgments and punishments precisely because of her harlotry with Christianity. I also agree that the artist takes way too much liberty with his/her depictions of certain American forefathers.

I just wish you would actually write posts again. Your blog's turned into a YouTube link dump - which is of course your perogative - but speaking for myself, I'm more interested in what you have to say. I can find opinionated atheists on YouTube all day long.

PhillyChief said...

More examples of wasted talent...

Example1

Example 2

Example 3

Example 3

Example 4

Example 5

Example 6

Example 7


Of course we can still appreciate both ability and the success of the final work separate from whatever intent the artist had for the work as far as meaning or what he or she hoped to inspire in others with it, but if that intent is something revolting, than it's fair to claim it's a waste of talent. That doesn't just apply to the arts, either. There have been brilliant doctors who squandered their talent trying to prove their racial superiority, lawyers who squandered their talents to argue for such things as slavery and genocide, and so on. You have what seem to be sharp minds like Plantinga and Craig squandering their talents as well.

I think we should all bemoan squandered talent, and perhaps the greatest squandering results from unrealized potential, especially when it's via self retardation like willful ignorance or irrationally abstaining from certain things.

Anonymous said...

Fascinating painting and video commentary. The artist's web page about this painting is informative too. He has an extensive gallery of artwork; he doesn't focus solely on religious themes. I'd buy some of his other works and leave this one "One Nation Under God" in the gallery.

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mud_rake said...

"But, in the end, everyone is responsible for educating themselves,"

Gulp! And, may I inquire, when will you begin?

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Anonymous said...

Philly,

"I think we should all bemoan squandered talent,"

Well, then quit squandering your talent defending that which can never be known, proven, tasted or experienced: cessation of consciousness upon death.

Gideon,

"Yeah, well, that's the trouble with people like you, Chief, everyone has to measure up to your idea of what's proper. Maybe I think you're wasting your talent blogging about Atheism and knocking Christianity, too... how about that? Atheists would love to make everyone in their image..."

Yep. Funny thing is, ask Philly why we should measure up to his ideas, and all you hear are crickets or cusswords.

"If you think I'm (pardon the expression) 'Neanderthalic' about the way I go about it, then all you have to do is look back a ways in your blogs, and see how well you dished it out."

I agree, and that's what I meant by that comment on SI's when I implied that he's asked for it.

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John Evo said...

Philly -

Nothing short of brilliant. Thanks for commenting.

ildi said...

Philly:

There have been brilliant doctors who squandered their talent trying to prove their racial superiority, lawyers who squandered their talents to argue for such things as slavery and genocide, and so on. You have what seem to be sharp minds like Plantinga and Craig squandering their talents as well.

Which is why the scientific method has to divorce itself from the cult of personality. Not always easy; I remember a painful NOVA episode about Steven Hawking regarding this...